Mockingjay's Song: 22
by Arleta
Summary: Various Oneshots where of the song '22' by Taylor Swift is used. In which: Effie learns how to dance, Katniss learns to express her feelings, Boggs learns the meaning of music, Prim learns how to be a teacher, Clove discovers there are more things to live for other than the honour of winning the Games, and many more. A song that couldn't possibly fit into Panem, yet it does.


**AN: To see how this came to be, please read the AN in the second chapter of **_**Mockingjay's Wings. **_**Here is the first of chapter of **_**22, in Panem. **_

The Capitol air was full of alcohol and smoke.

Effie Trinket, at the moment, was entering the ballroom. She and Haymitch were attending a ball. She had been invited by her friend's, Melissa, husband, Byne, as a celebration of the beginning of the Games. The atmosphere was sophisticated, yet was inches away from turning into an all-out party.

Effie looked around the room for Haymitch. Only then did she realize that Haymitch must be out getting sponsors for Katniss and Peeta, or drunk. She sighed and looked around for someone else that might be unaccompanied, like her. Usually, her hair was tucked up under her wig. Today she decided to go without it and let her blonde hair show. It was short, just barely touching her shoulders, and in a wave.

She had gone light on makeup, deep red lipstick, pink eyeshadow and blush, tons of mascara and eyeliner, and lots of concealer. This was considered very light in the Capitol. In fact, her dress was even lighter. It was pink as a flamingo and embedded with rhinestones. There is no need to say anymore, so you can make, for yourself, the Capitol standards, and how daring Effie was that night.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" she was startled. Then her brain processed that there was a rather handsome man, even in a mask, in a blue suit offering her is hand. She glanced around for Haymitch one more time.

"I- I, my- Haymitch, sure, um- of course," she spluttered.

The stranger smiled and led her to the dance floor. At first the music was typical, the waltz.

"May I be rewarded with the pleasure of knowing your name?" he asked her.  
"Er- yes, yes. My name is Effie, Effie Trinket."

"Effie Trinket?" he spun her around, "Aren't you that host for what District, 12?"

Effie blushed deeply. Twelve was a rather overlooked District, and she wanted to be in higher class. Or at least host a District of upper class. Nevertheless, she couldn't leave poor Peeta and Katniss alone with Haymitch.

"Yes, but I assure you, 12 is as good a District as any other. I have very good tributes this year-"  
"Yes, I hear that the girl, Kaylyn or something, got an eleven from the Gamekeepers," he said distractedly.

"And how is the boy?"

"Peeta. Yes, he got an eight. Not bad for his District. Very high for 12, in fact. From what I heard, he's a baker's son. Very strong, you see, from lifting all those bags of flour. I am sure that they will both be fine. Again, I repeat, Twelve is as sophisticated as Two in lots of cases, you just have to give them a-"

"Let us not think about that and move on," he interrupted. With a snap of his fingers, the music changed, to an upbeat song, sang by what sounded by a young female.

_Yeah  
Tonight's the night we forget about the deadlines  
It's time_

"I am sorry, sir, I don't know this dance," Effie apologized. The man laughed,

"Effie, my dear, you cannot know this dance. You must feel it."

_I don't know about you  
But I'm feeling twenty-two  
Everything will be alright if you  
Keep me next to you  
You don't know about  
But I bet you want to  
Everything will be alright if  
We just keep dancing like we're  
Twemty-two_

"Feel it?" Effie asked, confused, "How must I do that?"

The man's eyes twinkled, "My lady, I cannot say. It is how you feels that matters, not me."

Effie was thoroughly confused about this. The man decided to help her.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine."

"Not like that. What emotions do you feel?"

"I am confused, and a little bit irritated."

Suddenly, the man's eyes lit up, although Effie could not see under his mask and with the lighting. The lights gone done and been replaced by strobes of multi-coloured rays.

"I am soory, my vocabulary in English is very low, not my first language. Know only the first lines of meeting. Show."

"What do you mean show?" Effie asked, annoyed at the man.

"Irritated, confuse, show," he gestured towards her madly with his hands. She took hold of them and put them down gently.

"Confused," she said slowly, then started to act out confused.

_We're happy free confused and lonely in the best way  
It's miserable and magical  
Tonight's the night when we forget about the heartbreaks, it's time_

Effie tried to show the mysterious man confused, shaking her head and making a thinking position.

_I don't know about you_

The music took a curve to the exciting side, and suddenly, Effie was opened up to the world of music and dance.

"Confused," she murmured, starting to think of a more expressive way to show him what she meant. So she let the music carry her away and let the man know what confused was in her own way. Of course the man had no idea what it all meant, but that was because he wasn't Effie.

"How do you feel?" he asked.  
"Happy," she replied, smiling and out of breath.  
"I happy, too," the man held out his hand.

Gladly, Effie took it.

_It feels like one of those nights  
We ditch the whole scene  
It feels like one of those nights  
We won't be sleeping  
It feels like one of those nights  
You look like bad news I gotta have you, I gotta have you  
I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22  
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you  
You don't know about me but I bet you want to  
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we're twenty-two  
Twenty-two_

Long after the 'ball' was supposed to have been done, Effie and the man finally had to part.

"Good time you," the man said.  
"Me, too," she breathed.  
"I never got to know your name," she replied, looking back one more time, over her shoulder.

When she received to response, she turned around to find the mysterious man gone.

Her ride was waiting, though, so she left the ball.

"You got here late last night," Haymitch said when Effie finally arrived at breakfast that day, "Interviews today. Catty's not here yet."

Effie pursed her lips and sat down, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Peeta," she replied coolly.  
"Good morning," he said, moving his breakfast around.

"Where did you go last night?" Haymitch interrupted. She looked up at him long enough to glare, then turned her attention back to not spilling the coffee. Effie put the jug down.

"A ball. There was quite the charming man there. He taught me how to dance."

Haymitch snorted, "Which one?"

Effie shook her head, since she still hadn't put on her wig from last night, "I can't tell you, Haymitch. It isn't a dance, like the waltz or tango. It's _a _dance. See the difference? There's only one tango, there are many _a's._"

The mentor shook his head, "Damn it, Trinket, you don't have to be so confusing," he muttered under his breath.

"Either way," Effie announced, "We have interviews today. Peeta, how about you go with Haymitch for content first, and then I could teach you posture and manners?"

Peeta put down his fork, relieved that breakfast was over, "Well, you're the one teaching me, Effie. It doesn't matter what _I _feel."

Effie thought that sounded vaguely familiar, but nevertheless went to wake Katniss. When she was gone, Haymitch leaned over the table,

"Peeta, maybe you could explain this dance thing to me?"

He shook his head,

"I can't tell you, only you can tell yourself," he answered.


End file.
